A Family Dinner Without Taejun

"Yeah. They say there's nothing else wrong. I'm just the only one who can't remember."

Ha. What is this, a movie? It's not like you're picking flavors at an ice cream shop — how does only one person lose their memory?

"I know. It does seem strange to me too. They call it partial amnesia, apparently. You lose the memories you don't want to keep."

Wow... how convenient. So what are you going to do?

"Honestly, I have no idea."

Chaeyoon poured her heart out to her friend Juhyun, holding nothing back.

Why did you stop wanting the divorce?

"No, it's not that I don't want it. It's just..."

Then what?

"I really don't know yet. I think I need to wait until Taejun's memory comes back before I decide. He's not himself right now."

Hm... I can roughly guess how you feel. Fine, it's not like you'll drop dead if you put off the divorce for now. But are you seriously planning to let your in-laws walk all over you like they used to?

The question jolted Chaeyoon awake.

"No. I'm not going to let them treat me like before."

Good. That's a separate issue from the divorce anyway. Never let them push you around.

"Right. I won't."

And never let them get the better of you. Got it?

"Yes, yes. What's there to be intimidated about— hold on."

She heard footsteps.

"Who is it?"

What? Why?

"I'll call you back. Bye."

She was climbing out of bed when the door to her room flew open without so much as a knock. The person who barged in was Jiyoung, Moon Taemin's wife.

Taejun and Taemin were the same age, but because Taemin had been born six months earlier, Chaeyoon was expected to address him as the elder brother.

"Must be nice, living the high life."

Jiyoung swept her gaze around the bedroom the moment she stepped inside and gave a contemptuous snort.

"What do you think you're doing, coming in without knocking?"

"Oh my. I did knock. I guess you were sleeping."

Jiyoung sneered in her signature high-pitched voice.

I really shouldn't bother with her. So childish.

"So what did you come here for?"

"What do you mean, why? Mother called for me. And hello? Am I not a daughter-in-law of this house too? Why hasn't anyone started preparing the meal? Are you telling us all to starve? Fine, if that's what it takes to get you to divorce—"

"Why is she looking for you?"

"How would I know that?"

"I see. I'll come down shortly."

"Sister-in-law. Mother is calling, and you're going to come down 'shortly'? You come down now. Do I seriously have to climb back up here a second time?"

Jiyoung snapped irritably, rolling her eyes.

God, I'm so tired of this. Truly.

"Understood. I'm coming now."

As Chaeyoon stepped out of the room, she turned to look at Jiyoung.

"Sister-in-law."

"......"

What is she about to say? Does she not realize that silence would suit her better?

"I'm only saying this because of the years we've spent together as family, so don't take it too hard."

Chaeyoon didn't answer.

"Our mother-in-law is a frightening woman. She didn't divorce the Chairman even after he fathered three more children outside their marriage — and all of them by different women. Do you really think someone like her has anything to be afraid of? You keep setting yourself against her because you don't know how things work, but that could genuinely get you hurt. You do know the Chairman doesn't dare cross her, right?"

She went on and on — words Chaeyoon never asked for and didn't need.

"So what exactly are you trying to say?"

"What do you think? Yes, the divorce is happening either way, but until it does, you should stay on Mother's good side. That's how you get a little more out of it. If you keep this up, you might not see a single penny."

Not that Chaeyoon had any intention of accepting alimony anyway.

"Save it. I don't intend to take a single cent from this family."

"Oh my. Maybe you're just too young — do you really know so little about the world that you don't understand money is everything?"

"I don't need it."

Chaeyoon brushed straight past Jiyoung and headed downstairs, where Jang Hyun-ah and Minjung were waiting in the first-floor living room.

"You called for me?"

"Sit down."

Jang Hyun-ah commanded in a domineering voice.

"Now. What is the meaning of this? You refuse to leave, you never show your face, not even the tip of your nose. Aren't you being a little too shameless?"

Her tone was composed and refined. Her eyes were not. They were downright vicious.

"I wasn't feeling well."

"Spare me the details. Taejun is looking into a remarriage, so wrap up the divorce as quickly as possible. Until then, go stay at your parents' house — or if that's inconvenient, I'll find you somewhere to hole up temporarily — but you leave this house. Of course, you'll speak nicely to Taejun about it. You've always been good at leaving, haven't you?"

"......"

Jang Hyun-ah had a rare talent for gouging out a person's heart, scoop by painful scoop.

"If there's anything you need before you go, say so."

"What do you mean, anything I need?"

"You were still a Royoung daughter-in-law, after all. It wouldn't do to walk out with nothing, would it? If you have a figure in mind, tell me. I'll see to it you get something suitable — an apartment, maybe, fit for a woman living alone. Just don't pick anywhere beneath your station. It's all been settled with the Chairman, so consider it done."

She hasn't changed one bit. Of course she hasn't.

How exhausting. Truly.

"I don't want anyth—"

"Second daughter-in-law. Go help with dinner. You do remember it's a family dinner tonight, don't you?"

Jang Hyun-ah cut Chaeyoon off mid-sentence, clearly done listening.

"Of course, Mother. I'll get started right away."

Jiyoung, who had been sitting nearby for a moment, sprang up from her seat and headed for the kitchen.

"As for you — go back upstairs and stay there a while. The Chairman has something to say to you. Don't come flitting about where I can see you. You're an eyesore."

Then do it over the phone. Who says I want to see her either?

"Sister-in-law, what are you doing? Why aren't you going up? Mother hasn't been able to sleep a wink these days because of you."

Minjung stepped in as Jang Hyun-ah's mouthpiece.

"She's been so distressed she suffers constant headaches. This has to stop. Just say you're sorry. I was wrong. Is one little sentence really so hard for you?"

Chaeyoon didn't dignify Minjung's prodding rebuke with an answer.

"Enough. What's the point of lecturing her? She has no intention of listening. Drop it — it's just giving me a headache."

"Yes, Mother."

Minjung glared and jerked her chin upward. Go up.

Chaeyoon rose from her seat at once, gave nothing more than a shallow bow, and headed straight for the second floor.

Who's the one who should be upset here, exactly?

Even the divorce, in the end, was a matter strictly between Chaeyoon and Taejun. And there had been no need whatsoever to bring up his remarriage right in front of her.

Chaeyoon knew perfectly well that all of it was meant to torment her.

When Chaeyoon was summoned downstairs again, it was to a dinner table attended by every member of the family — everyone except Taejun.

Not one of them spared her a single word. They traded their own stories among themselves, laughing and chatting as if she weren't there.

Long since accustomed to it, Chaeyoon simply took her seat at the very end of the table in silence. It was lonely as always — but today, somehow, lonelier than ever.

"Quiet, all of you."

At Chairman Moon's single utterance, the table fell silent in an instant. Chaeyoon lifted her head quietly.

"I've already spoken with her. Go ahead and say what you came to say."

Jang Hyun-ah said, gesturing toward her with her water glass.

"Then there's nothing more to discuss. Lawyer Park can take care of it tomorrow."

"Yes. Lawyer Park is thorough about these things."

"And the search for a second wife — is it underway?"

"It's in progress."

"Choose a woman who can bear children this time. How much time have we already wasted?"

Moon Daeshik stared at Chaeyoon with a deeply displeased expression before clicking his tongue.

"Quite right. I suppose I'll have to be more careful this time."

It was a conversation foul enough to turn the stomach. Chaeyoon felt as though she were being treated like some failed broodmare, dismissed and discarded.

"This is going too far. All of you."

Her fists clenched tight, Chaeyoon shot up from her seat. The air above the table froze in an instant. Even Moon Daeshik's expression stiffened at once.

But Chaeyoon no longer cowered. Moon Daeshik had always been terrifying, intimidating — she'd never even been able to meet his eyes properly. Yet now that she had resolved to divorce, she wasn't the least bit afraid. He was nothing more than a senile old man who happened to share her husband's blood.

"What? 'Going too far'?"

Moon Daeshik mocked her words as though dumbfounded.

"Sister-in-law. You'd better watch your mouth."

Moon Taemin stepped in with a warning.

"If that's the kind of talk you want to have, you could have it when I'm not here. Why insist on calling me down for it? It's a truly sick pastime."

"We're saying it because you're meant to hear it. Why else would we have called you down?"

Jang Hyun-ah replied icily.

Unbelievable.

"What does bringing in a woman who can bear children have to do with me? You're going to do it after I leave anyway."

"Who said anything about waiting until you leave?"

Jang Hyun-ah spoke with chilly amusement, slowly dragging her eyelids upward.